Weather-check for doors



(No Model.)

1-. ROGERS. WEATHER CHECK FOR nooas.

Patented Jan. 5, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ROGERS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WEATHER-CHECK FOR DOORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,824, dated January 5, 1897.

Application filed April 7, 1896. Serial No. 586,487. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ROGERS, residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Weather- Checks for Doors, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a protecting device or weather-check designed and adapted to be applied to doors to obtain a substantially air-tight fit between the door and its casing. Prior to this invention I am aware that weather -strips have been nailed or screwed onto the outside of the door; but such strips are objectionable when applied to the more costly doors on account of the defacing of the door by the nails or screws and also 011 account of their unsightly appearance.

My present invention has for its object to provide a weather-check or protecting device which is substantially concealed from view, does not mar or deface the door when applied to it, and which may therefore be permanently secured to the door, but which can be readily removed for repairs or other purpose.

In the present instance I have represented my improved weather-check as applied to the bottom of the door; and the said weathercheck consists, essentially, of a weather-strip which is movable with relation to the threshold of the door, a supporting-framework for said movable weather-strip, and means to move said strip into the said frame, as will be hereinafter described. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claim at the end of the specification.

Figure 1 represents in elevation, with parts broken away, a sufficient portion of a door provided with a weather-check embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the weather-check shown in Fig.1; Fig. 3, a section of the weather-check on the line 3 3, Fig, 1; Fig. 4:, a detail in plan View to be referred to; and Fig. 5, a detail in side elevation, partially broken away, to be referred to.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents the lower portion of a door, which may be of any suitable or usual construction and to which is secured a weather-check or protecting device embodying this invention.

The weather-cheek referred to consists, essentially,of a weather-stripsupportin g frame, preferably made as herein shown and consisting of two parts or members a a, preferably flat metal bars having upturned flanges a a and provided with longitudinal slots or guideways a in line with each other and only one of which is shown in Fig. 2.

The members or parts a a are designed in practice to be secured to the outer edge of the door, and in the present instance are shown as secured to the bottom of the door, which may be accomplished by screws or other suitable fastening devices, (not shown,) but which may be inserted into the door through the holes a in the members a a. The door A at its sides is mortised or cut away for the reception of the flanges a a which may also be fastened to the door by screws (not shown) inserted through suitable holes in the said flanges, if desired. The bottom edge of the door A is also provided with a longitudinal and preferably central mortise, groove, or channel a for the reception of-the weatherstrip and its actuating device, and the said bottom edge is further provided with sockets, recesses, or openings a for the reception of suitable housings B B, preferably made as herein shown, and each consisting of two side pieces I) I), (see Fig. 3,) separated to form a space or chamber 19 and connected at their upper ends, the said side pieces having extended from their lower portions flanges or feet 17 provided with slots or openings 12 for the passage of screws b into suitable sockets (not shown) in the members a a of the supporting-frame.

The chamber b of eachhousing is enlarged at its lower portion, as herein shown, for the reception of the upper portion of the weatherstrip, which latter may be made of a bar or piece b of wood or other suitable material, but preferably wood, of a length substantially equal to the width of the door A, the said bar having secured to its lower edge a facing b, of felt, rubber, or other suitable yielding material, which is adapted to be brought into contact with the threshold of the door to make a tight joint when the latter is closed.

The facing 22*, of felt or other suitable material, may be glued, tacked, or otherwise secured to the bar 11 The weather-strip extends substantially the width of the door and projects through the longitudinal slot at in the frame a a, and is movable bodily in the mortise or chan nel a in the door, which movements are effected automatically, as will be described. The Weatherstrip may and preferably will be moved outward from its supporting-frame through the slot a by means of a rod or bard, which extends substantially the entire length of the weather-strip and in contact with the uppersurface thereof, so that movement of the bar downward will cause the Weatherstrip to move outward beyond the face of the supporting-frame a a and into contact with the threshold of the door. This downward movement of the actuating bar or rod (1 may and preferably will be effected, as herein shown, by means of links or levers (Z d, pivotally connected at one end to the bar or red (Z and at their opposite ends to the housings B B, so thatlongitudinal movement of the bar or rod (1 in one direction will cause the links or levers d d to turn on the housing-pivots as a center and force the bar or rod (1 downward as it is moved longitudinally.

In the present instance the links (1 (Z have their lower ends inserted into suitable slots or openings in the bar or red (Z and secured thereto by pivot-pins d, while their upper ends extend into the chamber of the housin gs B B and are secured thereto by the pivotpins (F, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The longitudinal movement of the actuating rod or bar 01 may be effected automatically by the closingof the door by extending one end of the rod through the upturned flange of one of the. members a a, herein shown as the flange a substantially short distance, so that when the 'door is closed the projecting end of the rod or bar (Z may engage the cas ing of the door, and preferably a metal plate secured thereto, and be forced or moved longitudinall y until the projecting end 2 is brought flush with the outer surface of the upturned flange (1 This movement of the bar or rod (1 in the direction indicated by the arrow 20, Fig. 1, causes the links (1 (P, which are practically anchored by the housing-piv- 01s (1 to force the rod d in a direction substantially transverse to its longitudinal movement, and thereby move the bar b outward until the felt or other facing or yielding strip 1)" is brought into engagement with the threshold of the door or preferably into contact with a metal bar laid 011 or in the threshold and secured thereto.

If the threshold is made of wood, I prefer to use the metal bar referred to, but if the threshold is made of marble or other hard substance not easily worn the metal bar may be dispensed with, as the facing-strip of felt or other yielding material will make close contact with the same. \Vhen the door is opened, the weather-strip is automatically drawn up into the mortise or channel a in the bottom of the door, and the actuatingbar (I is at the same time returned to its normal position. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2.) This result maybe accomplished as herein shown and as will now be described.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the bar 11 of wood, is represented as cut out or provided with a transverse mortise or slot 6, which is covered by a removable bar or plate 6, secured to the bar 0 as herein shown, by screws 6 and below the bar 6 is located a cross-bar 0, extended through the slot or mortise c and through suitable openings e in the lower portion of the housings B B, the said plate on its opposite sides having secured to it upright posts e, which are extended up through suitable openings in the flanges or feet I) of the sides of the housing and through top flanges e, secured to or forming part of the sides of the housing. The bars or rods e are preferably screw-threaded at their upper end and provided with adjustable nuts e", between which and the flanges or feet 12 are interposed spiral springs c which encircle the rods 6 and which springs are compressed by the downward movement of the rods 0, which takes place when the Weatherstrip is moved out of its mortise or slot a by the actuatingbar 02, and when the pressure is relieved upon the end of the actuating-bar the weathenstrip and the said bar are returned to their normal position by means of the springs a which expand and lift the rods 0, thereby lifting the plate a and the weather-strip, and conscquently moving upward the actuating-bar, which by reason of its housing-pivots is forced longitudinally into its normal position. (Represented in Fig. 1.)

It will be understood that each housing is provided with the rods e and springs 6 By making the supporting-frames for the housings in two parts and securing the housings to them by the screws b the parts or members a a of the frame may be extended so as to fit any size of door within limits, and this extension of the members a a may be effected by unloosening the screws 11 and moving the members and screws in the slots 1) of the housings.

It will be understood that the housings when inserted in their sockets in the door become practically stationary. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that when the weather check is once placed in position it is practically concealed from view and is not unsightly and can be applied to costly doors without marring or otherwise defacing the same.

I claim-- A weather-check for doors consisting of the housings B B adapted to fit into sockets in the bottom of thedoor, means to secure said housings to the door, the bar b more ble vertically in a slot in the bottom of the door and in the said housings, cross-bars a secured to the bar I; and extended transversely through the housings B B, upright posts secured to the said cross-bars on opposite sides of the In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence 0f 10 two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK ROGERS.

Witnesses:

JAs. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY. 

